Endings
by Anne Packrat
Summary: Ranma and Akane say goodbye to someone very close to them, but it's not who you think.


Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi and copyrighted by a   
bunch of companies, like Viz Video and Kitty Films. Ite koko doku   
nanda?   
  
Hibiki Travel Agency Presents:   
  
  
Introspections - Endings   
  
by Anne Packrat   
  
  
Akane settled the tray on the roof and then pulled herself   
up. Ranma looked up at her in surprise. "What ya doing, Akane?"   
he asked.   
  
The youngest Tendo brushed off her skirt and then picked up   
the tray. "You've been up here since dinner. It's not like you   
to miss dessert." She sat down next to her fiancee, placing the   
tray between them. "I thought you might have been attacked by   
Ryouga, Kuno, or any of the other hordes of enemies you seem to   
have."   
  
Ranma put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Nah.   
I've just been thinking. This is one of the places I can without   
someone disturbing me."   
  
Akane opened her mouth to make a snide comment about   
the idea of Ranma even thinking in the first place, but she stopped   
before the words came out. -He looks so open- she thought glancing   
at him, -He's hardly ever like this...- "What have you been thinking   
about?"   
  
Ranma glanced up at her. "What? Oh. You know. Stuff."   
  
"The failed wedding?" Akane's voice carried a hint of   
disappointment.   
  
Ranma shook his head. "Nope."   
  
"Your parents?"   
  
He sighed. "No. I've been thinking about her. I can't   
believe she's leaving."   
  
"Oh..." Akane answered quietly. "But you knew she was   
going to leave sometime..."   
  
Ranma let out a frustrated breath. "Yeah, I know. It's just   
that she's been with us since the beginning, you know? And now she   
just leaves us..."   
  
Akane looked up at the starry sky. "It had to happen some time.   
We all knew she wouldn't be with us forever..."   
  
"I guess you're right..." Ranma replied. They sat together   
quietly, staring up at the twinkling lights inhabiting the black   
expanse of the sky.   
  
"Akane?" Ranma asked sitting up. "What do y-" As he rolled   
over to face her, his knee caught on the tray which slid and left him   
off-balance. As a result he fell on top of the girl next to him.   
Ranma looked down at the surprised look of his fiancee. -Man, she   
is cute...- he thought before realizing that he *was* on top of Akane   
with his arms partly around her. His face colored and he rolled off   
her. "Akane, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean too, uh..."   
  
Stunned and blushing, Akane sat up. "It's okay, Ranma." she   
quickly looked down, and replied quietly, "I-I don't mind..."   
  
"What?!" her fiancee replied disbelieving.   
  
Akane's face reddened. "I said I-I don't mind you h-holding   
me..."   
  
Ranma gulped and matched his fiancee's redness. "Y-You sure?"   
  
Biting her lip, Akane looked up at him and nodded once. Ranma   
gulped again and moved next to Akane. Slowly, almost hesitantly he   
put his arm around her, ready to move it away at a moment's notice.   
Akane stiffened when he first placed his arm around her, but then she   
relaxed and smiled. Ranma almost jumped when she leaned her head   
against his shoulder. He took a deep breath and glanced down at his   
fiancee. -This... This ain't half bad...-   
  
After a minute, Ranma began to relax, but immediately stiffened   
again when Akane asked, "Ranma? What were you going to ask me before?"   
  
-Oh, is that all?- He relaxed and looked down at his fiancee.   
"Um, I just wondered how you thought about her going and all..." Akane   
looked away and didn't answer. "Akane, you okay?"   
  
Akane looked down and then up at Ranma. "Truthfully?" Ranma   
nodded. Akane sighed and continued. "I'm kind of scared..."   
  
Ranma frowned. "Why? You said yourself that we knew it was   
going to happen sometime..."   
  
"I know. It's just that she's always been there. We're kind   
of her children in a way. What's it going to be like without her here   
to guide us?"   
  
"It's okay. We can get along on our own, right?" Ranma did his   
best to sound comforting, "Every parent has to let go some time."   
  
Akane was surprised at this little seen side of her fiancee. It   
was a side she liked. A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. "I wish   
our parents would learn that!" The smile disappeared. "Maybe I'm just   
afraid of being alone..." she said softly.   
  
Ranma smiled and stroked her hair. "Alone is one thing you'll   
never be, Akane. Your family, my parents, our friends... They're all   
here for you..." He tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes.   
"And, I'm here for you too..."   
  
Slowly Akane smiled. "I guess I have no reason to be scared   
then."   
  
"Nope." He moved his head down until their lips met. He   
wrapped his arms around her. She relaxed and twined her arms around   
his neck. After a few minutes they broke the kiss, and Akane settled   
her head on Ranma's shoulder.   
  
The couple sat together and watched the stars. After awhile,   
Ranma became aware that Akane's breathing had slowed. He smiled and   
leaned back careful not to disturb the sleeping girl in his arms.   
"Good-bye," he glanced down at his fiancee then back up at the heavens,   
"and thank-you."   
  
-Anne Packrat 5/28/97 (annepackrat@hotmail.com)  
  
"With every ending comes a new beginning..."  
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Curious as to who left?  
  
Hint 1: It isn't Kasumi, Nodoka or Nabiki.  
Hint 2: They're not from the series at all.  
Hint 3: The Fourth Wall isn't intact in this fic.  
  
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Still don't get it?  
  
Check the reviews on www.fanfiction.net . Blazestryker has it right.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Thank you for all your work Takahashi-sama. You've inspired so many of  
us all around the world. Please continue to touch our hearts.  
  
-Anne Packrat March 9, 2001 (annepackrat@hotmail.com)  
  
  
  
  



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